In a time when it feels like Hollywood is passing out awards (fan-voted, industry-decided—you name it!) to its biggest stars on the daily, Sunday evening's AMAs was a breath of musically-inspired fresh air. We laughed, we cried, but most importantly we celebrated some extremely talented artists, and isn't that what it's all about?

Gigi Hadid and Jay Pharoah set the tone for the evening, and as soon as the supermodel-turned-undercover comedienne nailed a shockingly spot-on Melania Trumpimpersonation, music lovers everywhere knew they were in for quite a spectacle.

But it wasn't all about the killer hosting duo, so without further ado, here are the five biggest moments from the 2016 AMAs that left us counting down the days until next year's show:

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1. Comeback Kid: It goes without saying, the night belonged to Selena Gomez. After spending months away from the public eye over health-related issues, the "Hands to Myself" songstress made her highly-anticipated return to the stage with an uplifting message to the fans that voted her Favorite Female Pop/Rock Artist.

She brought the entire Microsoft Theater to their feet with her acceptance speech, speaking to themes of self-love and acceptance: "I don't want to see your bodies on Instagram. I want to see what's in [your heart.] I'm not trying to get validation, nor do I need it anymore... But if you are broken, you do not have to stay broken. That's one thing you should know about me: I care about people. And this is for you."

Bravo, Selena.

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2. Supermodel's Got Jokes: Sure, we always knew Gigi's more than just another pretty face, but not everybody was prepared for how admittedly hilarious she really is. Jay's better half delivered zinger after zinger (we're looking at you Drakeand Meek Mill) in her opening monologue, followed by her take on the First Lady-elect's headline-grabbing antics during the presidential election.

Sure, the 21-year-old was fighting off a batch of nerves ahead of the festivities, but when push came to shove, Hadid totally held her own against the comedic veteran.

So if her career on the catwalk takes an unlikely turn for the worst, Gigi is set for the award show circuit. 2017 Grammys, anyone?

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3. When Niall Goes High, Zayn Goes Low: The 2016 AMAs was equally as momentous for both Niall Horan and Zayn Malik. Each were making their own debut of sorts, as Zayn accepted his first ever AMA for Best New Artist as a solo act while Niall wowed the crowd with his single, "This Town."

But despite social media rumblings that the former One Direction bandmates shared a chummy congratulatory moment off camera, that didn't stop the "Pillowtalk" crooner from taking a jab at 1D. "Wow. This just has my name on it, right?" he opened his acceptance speech, which wasn't met with a single half-hearted chuckle from audience members.

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4. Man of the Hour: When Drake arrived to the 2016 AMAs, something in the air told us he'd go home a winner in more ways than one.

The "Jumpman" rapper reunited with fellow Canadian and Degrassi co-star Nina Dobrev, in addition to winning four of his record-breaking 13 nominations in the Best Rap/Hip-Hop Album, Rap/Hip-Hop Song, Soul/R&B Song and Rap/Hip-Hop Artist categories. And then there's that now-viral Apple Music commercial starring the recording artist jamming out to Taylor Swift's "Bad Blood." Yeah, that happened.

But with such an incredible end to Drake's 2016, we have to ask ourselves: When's that T. Swift-Drizzy collab going to drop?

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5. A Thoughtful Farewell: Now almost seven months to the day of Prince's tragic passing, the music icon's absence is felt more than ever. The Purple Rain artist's sister Tyka Nelsonwas on hand to accept her late brother's award for Top Soundtrack of the year, an unprecedented win given its 1984 release and subsequent posthumous revival on the charts.

"Prince defied the odds," Nelson shared onstage. "A black teen from Minneapolis with a goal to electrify the world. He had the courage to be different with his vision and god-given talent. He's still one of the world's most respected and loved artists."

Can't argue with that one.

Watch the Fashion Police 2016 American Music Awards special Monday, Nov. 21 at 8 p.m., only on E!

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